Hassock



March 17, 1959 G. E. SMITH 2,877,830

' HASSOCK Filed Dec. 6, 1957 INVENTOR. Gauze-E. -E.. SMrrH BY ATTOQM EYS,

luniltfd tate Patent HASSOCK George E. Smith, Derby Line, Vt. Application December 6, 1951, Serial No. 101,241; 4 Claims. or. 155-169) This invention relates to furniture generally, and more particularly has reference to a hassock, foot stool, or ottoman. i

The main object of the present invention is to provide a furniture piece of the character stated which will be substantially more comfortable than conventional foot stools previously in use. In this connection, it is proposed in carrying out the invention to provide an adjustable foot stool, swiftly and easily tiltable to comfortably support, in any position desired by the user, the back of the user's legs.

In carrying out the invention, it is proposed to provide full support for one's legs, rather than just the feet in the manner of a conventional foot stool not having the tiltable arrangement. To this end, the foot stool includes a top portion supported upon a stationary lower portion for rotatable movement, for tilting movement in a fore-andaft direction, and for tilting movement from side to side, with the top portion being also rotatable upon its axis of tiltable movement, thus to in effect have a universal connection to the lower portion.

Another object is to so locate the point about which the upper portion tilts relative to the peripheries of the upper and lower portions, as to cause corresponding sides of the upper and lower portions to abut for the purpose of limiting tilting movement of the upper portion in any of the various directions specified.

Another object is to provide a foot stool of the character stated which will be automatically adjustable responsive to positioning of ones legs thereon, and which will further be attractive so as to blend attractively and inconspicuously with adjacent pieces of furniture.

Other objects will appear from the following description, the claims appended thereto, and from the annexed drawing, in which like reference characters designate like parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a foot stool or ottoman according to the present invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view therethrough, the dotted lines showing a second position to which the upper portion is tiltable; and

Figure 3 is an exploded, fragmentary perspective view.

Referring to the drawing in detail, designated generally at is a lower or stationary portion of the ottoman. This is, in the illustrated example, of rectangular outer configuration, including a vertical peripheral wall 11 having a top edge rabbeted as at 12, to receive a top plate or wall 14 which is fixedly engaged in the rabbet groove.

A smooth-walled center opening 16 of top plate 14 receives an upstanding, elongated, straight pin 18 having a threaded lower portion 20 that constitutes the part ex tending through opening 16. Limiting downward movement of the pin is a collar 22 integrally formed thereon at the upper end of the threaded portion 20. A washer 24 is applied to the portion 20, and a nut 26 threaded thereon, to securely mount the pin in upstanding position upon the lower portion 10.

Integrally formed upon the upper end of the pin 18 is a ball element 28. 1

An upper portion generally designated 29 is substantially equal to the lower portion in respect to height and shape. Further, the dimensions of the rectangular upper portion are substantially equal to those of the lower portion in respect to area. In any event, tlieupper portion 29 includes a ball socket 30 integral with a plate 31 that is in contact with a plate 32 and is secured thereto by screws 34, passing also into a bottom wall 36. Bottom wall 36 at its periphery is engaged in a rabbet groove 37 provided in thebottom edge of a peripheral wall 38, the upper edge of which has a rabbet groove 39 in which is fixedly en-' gaged the periphery of a top plate 40. Padding 42 over lies top plate 40, while padding 44 overlies-the peripheral wall. A covering of upholstery fabric or the like is designated at 46, and is tensioned over the padding, said covering being provided with a peripheral portion 48 tacked or otherwise secured to the underside of the upper portion, at the margin of the bottom plate 36. The upholstery 44 is thickest medially between the top and bottom plates, and decreases in thickness toward said top and bottom plates 40, 36 respectively. 1

By reason of the arrangement illustrated, the upper portion is universally mounted upon the pin 18, so as to be'freely tiltable in a fore-and-aft direction as well as laterally in either direction. Tilting movement of the upper portion is limited by abutting of corresponding edges of the upper and lower portions, as shown both in full and dotted lines in Figure 2.

The construction provides a highly desirable characteristic in an ottoman, designed to afford comfortable and full support to the legs of the user. ,In this respect, the device differs from previous ottomansin general use, most of which do not have any adjustability features whatever. Those ottomans that do have adjustable characteristics are of complicated construction, so as to increase the cost thereof far above that which is commercially feasible. Even then, many of these fail in respect to being selfadjusting responsive merely to positioning of ones legs thereof, and must be individually, manually adjusted and thereafter secured against movement of the component parts from the selected position of adjustment.

It is believed apparent that the invention is not necessarily confined to the specific use or uses thereof described above, since it may be utilized for any purpose to which it may be suited. Nor is the invention 'to be necessarily limited to the specific construction. illustrated and described, since such construction is only intended to be illustrative of the principles, it being considered that the invention comprehends any minor change in construction that may be permitted within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A tiltable ottoman including a stationary lower portion; a pin projecting upwardly from said lower portion; and an upper portion universally mounted upon said pin for tiltable adjustment both laterally and in a foreand-aft direction, said pin projecting a substantial distance upwardly from the lower portion, said upper portion tilting on the upper extremity of the pin, said pin being centered on the lower portion, said lower portion being of rectangular configuration, the upper portion also being of rectangular configuration, and having itsedges substantially in registration with corresponding edges of the lower portion, corresponding edges of the upper and lower portions abutting in selected positions to which the upper portion is tilted, to limit tiltable adjustment of the upper porion beyond the selected positions.

2. A tiltable ottoman comprising a stationary, support ing-surface-engaging base comprising the lower one of a Patented Mar. 11, 1959:

pair of superposed upper and .lower portions of the ottorest being tiltable in a selected direction upon said axisto any of a plurality ofpositions in each of which one of said edges is in contact with the top surface of the base, to incline the rest in a selected path and hold the same against rocking in said path laterally in either direction.

3. A tiltable ottoman comprising a stationary, supporting-surface-engaging base comprising the lower one of a pair of superposed upper and lower portions of the ottoman; apin projecting upwardly from said base centrally of the base; and a leg rest in the form of a large, rigidly backed cushion comprising the upper portion, said rest including a flat bottom plate universally connected centrally thereof to the pin, the periphery of the bottom plate being formed with a plurality of straight, angularly related edges each of which is perpendicularly intersected by a radius of the axis of the universal connection, said rest being tiltable in aselected direction upon said axis to any of a plurality of positions in each of which one of said edges is in contact with the top surface of the base, to incline the rest in a selected path and hold the same against rocking in said path laterally in either direction, said periphery being composed entirely of said edges.

4. A tiltable ottoman comprising a stationary, supporting-surface-engaging base comprising the lower one of a pair of superposed upper and lower portions of the ottoman; a pin projecting upwardly from said base centrally of the base; and a leg rest in the form of a large, rigidly backed cushion comprising the upper portion, said rest including a fiat bottom plate universally connected centrally thereof to the pin, the periphery of the bottom plate being formed with a plurality of straight, angularly related edges each of which is perpendicularly intersected by a radius of the axis of the universal connection, said rest being tiltable in a selected direction upon said axis to any of a plurality of positions in each of which one of said edges is in contact with the top surface of the base, to incline the rest in a selected path and hold the same against rocking in said path laterally in either direction, both the base and said rest being of rectangular formation and being substantially equal in surface area, for disposition of each edge of the rest in longitudinally contacting, coextensive relation to a corresponding edge of a base' in each position to which the rest is tilted upon said axis.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 530,469 Boyd Dec. 4, 1894 1,358,640 Koyama Nov. 9, 1920 2,659,414 'Hoar Nov. 17, 1953 2,749,973 Leasy June 12, 1956. 

